Three Clues to Follow
by Breelin
Summary: Hiccup is acting strangely, so Astrid investigates. But the more she sees, the more the evidence points to one conclusions: Is Hiccup going to propose? Takes place right before HTTYD2. Hiccstrid!


**A/N: HELLO! So I know I'm supposed to be working on other stuff right now, but this kind of hit me while I was studying for this uber-important math test, so obviously I had to put everything on hold to right it. I really wanted to write something a little more comedic, just because I feel so bogged down with the seriousness I try to use in my other stuff, and to try and summon the romantic feels for other writings.**

 **Side note, I'm sorry for the awkward formatting. I wanted to do this jump back and forth kind of thing, and I'm not sure how successful it was. I'm pretty sure it's clear, I just hate italicizing large chunks of text for flashbacks/memories. Please forgive me. Enjoy!**

 **EDIT: Sorry for the bit of confusion with the first posting! I put up the wrong document :P Can't let those Devil spoilers get out there... MWAHA**

* * *

"RUFFNUUUUUTTT!" Astrid comes barreling through the crowd, aggressively pushing people out of her way as she ran towards her friend standing on the other side of the street. Her shoves are desperate, uncalculated in a way that Astrid never was. She looks scared, panicked, disturbed. And judging by the pitch and volume of her wails, either someone was dead or someone was going to be dead, very, _very_ soon.

Ruffnut turns around at the sound of her name, but falters when she sees Astrid's face. She wonders if she should run.

She doesn't, and when Astrid finally gets to her the tall blonde wraps her arms around Ruffnut in a bone-crushing hug. "RUFFNUUUTTT!" Astrid wails again. "I'M GOING TO DIIEEE!"

People on the street are looking, staring. Ruffnut can't manage to free her arms from Astrid's death-grip, but turns her wrist upward so she can pat her friend's side. "There, there?"

"I'm serious!" Astrid pushes Ruffnut back suddenly and fiercely, glaring into her eyes. "This isn't a joke!"

"So you're actually dying, then?"

"NO!" Astrid screams, throwing her fists in the air.

More looks from passerbies are thrown their way.

"Okay, okay!" Ruffnut puts up her hands in defense. "What's wrong?"

Astrid hangs her head. "It's Hiccup…"

"Hiccup's dying?"

Astrid makes an animalistic growl.

"Okay, no more joking!" Still, Ruff takes all precaution and keeps her arms raised. "Tell me, whatever it is."

"I think Hiccup…" She inhales and exhales slowly, the rage slowly fading from her eyes and being replaced by something more vulnerable. "I think Hiccup is going to _propose_."

Ruffnut gasps, truly surprised. "What?"

"I know!"

Ruff studies her friend's reaction. "But—and don't hit me for asking this—isn't that a _good_ thing?"

The taller girl holds out clenched hands, but resists the temptation. She swallows, dropping her arms in defeat. "I just… I'm not sure I'm ready for that, you know? We're still young, and… I just don't know if I can do it. I don't know if I could even be a good…" She seems to gag on the word. " _wife."_

"You guys are practically married already."

"But I have the ability to opt out!"

"Would you really do that?" Ruff asks incredulously.

Astrid sighs. "No. Probably never. Hiccup's too good of a guy; I don't think I'd ever have a reason to."

"So…"

"BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GET MARRIED!"

People are looking.

Ruff knows she needs to diffuse the situation before people start thinking Astrid is having a heart attack. "Okay… well, what makes you even think he's going to propose, anyway?"

Astrid opens her mouth.

And closes it again.

Ruffnut makes a motion, prompting her to speak.

"Okay, well, it kind of started..."

 **CLUE #1: HE'S HIDING THINGS**

"A-Astrid!" Hiccup looks over his shoulder when she walks into the blacksmith's shop, but when he saw who it was the colour completely drained from his face. She can't see past him, but he begins fumbling with something on his workbench, throwing things in piles before spinning around, his back pressed firmly to the bench and his hands holding its edge protectively.

Clearly, there was something he had that he didn't want Astrid to see.

Astrid raises an eyebrow at him, studying him stoically as she puts Stormfly's saddle on a free workbench. The fasteners on the rigging were starting to corrode, and she'd only brought it here to get them replaced. But now that she saw this… she couldn't leave just yet.

"What are you doing?" She asks him.

"Me? Oh, uh, nothing. Just messing around—" He flails his hand around. "You know me, silly Hiccup, always playing around in the workshop."

He was being suspicious, that was obvious enough. Should she press him, knowing he would crack if she tried hard enough?

She decides to give him a little nudge.

"What is it?" She asks slickly. "Can I see?" She takes a step forward, watching his reaction.

He jumps like a cat. "No, no, it's nothing, I swear!"

"Then why do you keep acting like it's not?" She takes another step forward.

Hiccup presses himself into the table. "I'm not! You're the one acting suspicious!"

She takes another step forward, and soon they're only inches apart. "I never said anything about suspicious." She teases, leaning forward. He leans back, farther into the table.

Interesting.

"C'mon," She doesn't stop her advance, closing the gap between them and pushing herself against him. He makes a nervous noise. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours," She whispers into his neck, trailing her nose up to his ear before pressing a chaste kiss to his jaw.

He makes another, different noise. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but I really don't have anything to sh—"

She cuts him off, claiming his mouth with hers and effectively shutting him up. His kisses are soft, appreciative, and for half a second she forgets what she was doing there in the first place.

Half a second, that was it.

She wraps her arms around his waist, locking him inside her grasp. But just as she begins to slide her arms down his body, to his hips and about where the level of the bench was, he starts to get more aggressive. He begins to kiss her harder, his nips into sucks.

He's got one hand going up her back, and he's leaning them forward, kissing down to her just far enough that she can no longer reach the table.

Damn him.

"Hey, Hiccup, I—" She can hear Gobber walking into the blacksmith's, and groan when he sees them together.

Hiccup quickly props Astrid upright, pulling away from her, grinning. "Oh, hey, Gobber." He starts to back away from her, towards the door, something firmly pressed behind his back. "I heard Astrid needed some new fasteners you should probably get on that right away that way she doesn't even have to leave her and then she can take her saddle right back to Stormfly and probably go flying again which will probably take at least another couple hours..." He's talking quickly and babbling, and nearly out the door.

Damn him.

"Okay bye Gobber bye Astrid love you bye bye bye bye—" And he runs off, out the door, chanting goodbyes.

"Is he okay?" Gobber asks, clearly confused.

"He won't be for long." Astrid mumbles.

 **xXxXx**

"And then I thought about it," Astrid says, looking back and forth between Ruffnut and Tuff, who had just arrived. "And what else could he have to hide from me besides a ring!"

Astrid doesn't even give Ruffnut the chance to respond.

"OH MY GODS IT IS!" She moans, falling forward and enrapturing Ruff in another soul-squeezing hug. "OH MY GODS HE'S GOING TO PROPOOOOSSSEEE!"

Ruff is able to give her friend another awkward side pat. "There, there."

"I think you might be wrong, Astrid." Tuffnut interjects. "I mean, do you _really_ know that it was a ring? It could be anything! He could have been making you a present or something."

"He's right!" Ruff wheezes.

Astrid jumps back. "No, no! Because that's not all that happened!"

 **CLUE #2: HE'S VISITING THE PARENTS AND ACTING SUSPICIOUS ABOUT IT**

Hiccup had lied. About more than one thing, it seemed.

Not only had he been hiding that _whatever-it-is_ was from her, but he lied about the fasteners on her saddle. (Probably another part of his getaway routine). Gobber didn't need a couple hours but a couple _days_ to replace all the fasteners on Astrid's saddle.

(It didn't help her anger than Hiccup had been evading her for those two days).

But on her walk home, saddle in hand, she saw something that made her freeze: Hiccup, stepping out of her parents' house. Well, _her_ house. But she clearly wasn't there at the moment, and her parents were.

What was he doing?

Hiking the saddle up in her arms, Astrid prepares for a wait. She turns to the side of the street, thinking fast and seeing an apple cart. She goes over to stand next to it, pretending to inspect the apples or whatever people did at apple carts while she watched Hiccup out of the corner of her eye.

When he's done talking to her father, he steps away from the house, hands in pockets, and looks around. By the way he jumps she can tell he's spotted her. And instead of going towards her as he would have normally done, she watches him run in the other direction.

She didn't know a boy with a peg leg could run that fast.

 **xXxXx**

"How suspicious is that!" Astrid says, pointing her finger in Ruffnut's face. The other girl looks apprehensively down at the accusing finger, her face blank. "Why would he come by my house _not_ to see me? Why would he run away?"

"Because you were holding a giant saddle and had previously threatened to," Tuffnut makes air quotes. "'make him not okay'?"

The finger swivels in Tuff's direction. "OR BECAUSE HE'S ASKING MY PARENTS TO MARRY ME!"

"What are you guys yelling about?" Fishlegs approaches, a finger stuck in his ear. "I just cleaned out my ears, and your yelling hurts!"

Everyone ignores him.

"That is possible," Tuffnut slowly raises her hands, lowering Astrid's finger before someone lost an eye. "But still, he could just be giving you a really, really big gift that he needs to coordinate with your parents."

"Ooh, gifts?" Fishlegs interrupts. "You're getting a gift, Astrid?"

"HICCUP WANTS TO MARRY ME!" Astrid screams.

Fishlegs shrugs. "Everyone knows that."

Astrid grabs his shirt. "He told you he was going to propose?!"

"No, no! I just—everyone knows you guys are going to be together!"

"We all figured it would happen _eventually,_ " Ruffnut says.

"Yea!" Fishlegs continues. "He never said anything to me about proposing, I swear!"

Astrid huffs loudly, but lets go of the larger boy's shirt. Fishlegs looks like he's about to faint.

"Okay, calm down." Ruffnut says. "Is that all you know? Because it just doesn't seem like enough evidence to say for sure."

Astrid drops her shoulders. "There was one more thing…right before I found you…"

 **CLUE #3: HE PRACTISES PROPOSING TO HIS DRAGON**

Astrid drops her saddle on the apple cart. (She'd get it later).

Right now, she had to prioritize and chase after her boyfriend at a respectable distance. It was the only option she had at this point; no one could keep secrets from her.

She follows Hiccup home, and just when she's about to jump out of hiding and ambush the house, he comes around the back on Toothless and the two fly away.

Astrid chases after them. (At a respectable distance, of course). She was going to corner him one way or another, and if it meant in the forest there would be fewer witnesses.

She eventually stops running, though, when she sees exactly what direction they were headed in: the cove. Of course, Hiccup and Toothless' favourite spot on Berk. They still went there often enough, Hiccup mostly when he just needed to think.

Did she dare disrespect the sanctity of the alone time place?

(She sure as Hel did).

Astrid walks. She takes her time, and as she approaches the cove, she can hear voices coming from the drop. Well, Hiccup's voice. Talking to himself.

"How about I say—'Astrid, there's something I need to tell you'… no, that's dumb…"

Astrid creeps up slowly, careful not to make any noise to alert either of them to her presence. She gets a close as she can, right behind the treeline but well within earshot. What was he saying?

"Alright, bud, how about this—Astrid, you mean a lot to me. And I've been meaning to… and I wanted to tell you…" She can hear him groan in frustration, followed by the sound of boots scuffing against the dirt and something plunking into the water.

"What am I supposed to tell her, Toothless? How can I tell a girl like _Astrid_ something like this? I mean, what if she doesn't accept? I have to do it today, I can't wait any more."

Astrid nearly makes a noise, but slaps a hand in front of her face just in time. Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Was he actually trying to figure out—"

 **xXxXx**

"—HOW TO PROPOSE!" Astrid finishes, raising her hands with dramatic flair.

"Did you get your saddle back?" Tuffnut asks.

Ruffnut beats Astrid to the punch and… well, punches Tuffnut. "Shut up, you idiot! That's not the point!"

"Oh my gods, do you know what this means?" Fishlegs squeals.

"No, I missed half the story." Snotlout says. "I'm sorry; can we start from the top?"

"NO!" Astrid bellows.

"Okay, okay!"

"Alright, I will admit," Ruffnut says before Astrid can kill him. "I think you might be right with that one. I mean, is that what he said exactly? If you'd accept?"

"YES!" Astrid moans, jumping in for another hug. Ruff gets wise and jumps out of the way, letting her brother take the killer hug instead. "Now I don't know what I'm going to do!"

"You could say yes!" Fishlegs says, the excitement evident in his voice.

"But I don't know if I'm ready. What if… what if…" she sounds like she's struggling with finding the rights words. Or any reasons not to say yes.

"Listen, I hate to admit this." Snoutlout says. "But you guys are sickening together. And you've been into each other since we were kids."

"True." Fishlegs volunteers.

"And maybe it's about time you get married so you guys can stop honeymooning and start hating each other like a couple is supposed to."

"Not true!" Fishlegs squeaks.

"Everybody shut up!" Tuffnut waves his arms around, forcing everyone into confused silence. "Okay," He turns to Astrid, bravely touching her shoulders. "Do you love him?"

Astrid looks at her friend awkwardly. "Yes?"

"Is that a question?!"

"Uh, no. I mean, yes. The answer is yes." She frowns. "No to the second question, yes to the first."

"Then that's all that matters!" Ruff says. "Nothing is set in stone; you guys can figure it out as you go."

"Love is all that matters!" Fishlegs adds.

Astrid exhales, looking at her friends and seeing nothing but truth and believing in their expressions. "You guys are right." She breathes again. "You guys are so right. Love is all that matters. And… and if he asks me, I'm going to say yes."

"What are you guys talking about?" Hiccup.

The group scatters like a pack of dragons after feeding their queen, leaving Astrid left standing there. By herself. She looks over her shoulder at Hiccup, then turns around completely to face him. She feels flustered.

"Oh, nothing." She shrugs, then finds it unnatural and hugs her arms to her sides. She looks up at him awkwardly.

"Uh, okay." He watches her for a moment. "Astrid, there's something I need to tell you."

 _What? Here? Okay… OH MY GODS. HERE. NOW… OH MY GODS._

"Uh, yea?" She says carefully.

"I…" He looks down, not moving. "Astrid," He looks into her eyes. "You mean a lot to me—"

 _He chose the second one. I liked the second one._

"—and I hope this won't change anything between us, because I love us the way we are—"

 _OH GODS…_

"—There's been something I've been meaning to tell you… I…" He exhales heavily. "I broke your axe." He says sheepishly. "You left it at my house, and I didn't realize it was yours… I was trying to fix it when you caught me at the workshop. Please don't be mad, I know it was your favourite—why are you laughing?" Hiccup looks utterly confused as he watches his girlfriend start giggling.

She breaks into all-out laughter, holding her stomach and doubling over. Even as he watches her look like an insane person, she can't seem to stop.

"Are you going crazy?" Hiccup asks, leaning sideways to look at her. "Because as weird as it would be, I'd still love—"

Astrid leaps up, grabbing his shoulders and kissing him. After a few seconds, she falls back, still giggling.

"Are you okay?" He asks again, looking perturbed.

She puts an arm around his waist, hugging him to her side. "My gods, I have to tell you… you wouldn't believe what I thought…"

Hiccup looks over his shoulder at the other dragon trainers, who had gathered again on the other side of the street. He gives me a triumphant smile.

"Man, can you believe how close he was to getting caught?" Tuffnut says, far out of earshot from the retreating couple. He shakes his head. "Even I'm stealthier than that."

"Do you think she's off the trail, though?" Fishlegs asks.

"Definitely." Ruff nods. "When he does ask her for real, she's either going to die of happiness, anger or… maybe just die."

"Or maybe she'll kill him and he'll die."

"I'd rather go to a wedding than a funeral." Fishlegs says.

"Hey," Snotlout grins. "They're going to be engaged. There might just be time for both."


End file.
